


Fuck Everything Bar Regina Fucking Mills

by lacedparrilla



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 10 year fucking pining, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bathroom Sex, F/F, Falling In Love, Family Reunions, Fluff and Smut, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Office Sex, One Night Stands, Pining, Regina is an idiot, Smut, Swan Queen Supernova 2019 (Once Upon a Time), and so is emma, because they're idiots, kind of, no magic, swanqueen endgame, well you'll get it when you read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-06 01:14:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20498450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lacedparrilla/pseuds/lacedparrilla
Summary: “Move.”“No.”“Why.”“Take my number.”“What?”Emma let out a huff of air, a small smile taking hold of her lips as she looked down to the scowling brunette with complete adoration.“My card, call me.” She added with a swaggering kind of smile. Regina blinked down to the little card that Emma held between the two fingers she’d just used to fuck her with, she shivered at the thought, gulping down the sudden need to go again...-----Or better known as that smutty one night stand, that gets a little more complicated when Emma shows up on Regina's doorstep 11 years later with a little boy and his book of fairy tales...





	Fuck Everything Bar Regina Fucking Mills

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jajs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jajs/gifts).

> HELLO WORLD, oh my god so...this is my first year EVER submitting work for SQSN and...honest to god I have never been so nervous so, uh..please be gentle I guess? This is also my first time writing smut so, yeah lets see how that goes. But seriously I am very excited to share my work with you as this idea has been bubbling around in my mind for quite some time now (ever since I was inspired by a scene from Good Girls newest season) and it's nice to finally have it all written down on paper, or well...laptop? which is kinda the same thing I guess? and how tf am I rambling in a pre-written note oh my god. Anyway, enjoy our two idiots...be nice to me and have fun suffering with the never ending pain that is swanqueen!! 
> 
> (although this does have a happy ending so bear with) 
> 
> (pps. thank u dorota for helping me brainstorm and pushing me to do this ily x)
> 
> Oh and also because this is an AU, Ruby is now Emma's roommate in Boston so...just go with it. Also a slight warning for Robin being a part of this for 0.5 seconds, I promise thats all. OH AND Emma is 23 at the start of this fic, and 34 when they meet again. So the actual OUAT timeline has been partially thrown out of the window...dw Emma's not 18 during the beginning lmfao.

**Fuck everything bar Regina fucking Mills.**

“_You’re_ Henry’s birth mother?”

_Fuck wait is that-_

“Hi…”

_Fuck, fuck, fuck me, fuck this. Fuck literally **everything**_ **. **

“How would you like some of the best apple cider you ever tasted?”

_No wait, fucking things is **exactly** what got me into this situation. _

“Got anything stronger?”

_You know what, I can’t win. Fuck **everything** bar Regina **Fucking** Mills. _

_11 years earlier…_

Regina hadn’t ever been one for adventure, and _yes_, traveling on your lonesome to lands (Boston) far from the safety of your own home (Storybrooke, a place in which she hadn’t ever ventured past in her all her 24 years of life on this earth) counted as an adventure in her books.

There wasn’t much more to do in the ghost town filled with the same dreary faces, and time-wasting hobbies she would take on to free her mind from the continuously demanding deadlines. Gardening had been one of them. And, although it may not have been newly introduced, she’d taken great comfort in the hobby since her fathers passing. But even that had dulled in its usual companionship she’d grown attached to, and there wasn’t all that much that could distract her.

Nothing happened much more in her little town than Leroy being a little over the edge of sobriety as he would, without a doubt, clumsily crash town hall meetings with his irrational, but somewhat crazily imaginative ideas of how the mayor could improve the towns wellbeing. All of which would be rightfully ignored and saved for the next meeting where it would inevitably happen again. And, bar this, they weren’t even in any desperate need for more than one sheriff and his deputy. The town was that quiet and ‘well-behaved’, as someone had once written in a review online after their short visit.

But Regina was the mayor’s daughter. And at 22 years of age she’d profoundly made small town history of being the youngest ‘acting mayor’ as _practice_, her mother would call it. Because, of course, there was no one else better fitting for the mayoral position than Regina. But in a town as small as this, no one minded when Regina would fill in with a few meetings Cora hadn’t been bothered to attend or make appearances at ceremonies which she claimed were boorish excuses to get drunk. The mayor’s absence had also been tamely ignored because the townsfolk hadn’t been brave enough to fight the power Cora induced through provoked fear.

The Mills family were somewhat famous, (infamous, if you were to ask Regina) throughout the town. It being a natural occurrence when an entire family own most of the land and businesses within it. So, it was almost expected that the position would be inherited rather than elected (as wrong as that may be). And God knows when, Regina would take over from her mother and fulfil every tediously mundane task the town had to offer. But she was young, and too tired to even try and argue with anything other than herself whenever she would battle out which outfit she’d be wearing for that day, especially her mother.

It was all very medieval, an inheritance to a throne she didn’t want, responsibilities that were beyond her unprepared capabilities, a line of men in her court, eagerly waiting for a chance to take her hand in a union of false love and fake promises. And that’s all this was. Pretend, imaginary, a myth in her eyes that could only see as far as the end of the week when it came time for her to picture a future. But if this was all the world had to offer, she wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted any part in its performance.

Soon she was going to be old and bitter just like all the women in her family. The only exception being her half-sister, who was _far more _adventurous than herself as she spent majority of her time galivanting around Europe and getting lost in secret love affairs with rich heirs. Something so scandalous that it ‘mustn’t be shared with another living soul,’ something Regina had remembered being proclaimed in one of the many letters she’d received in the mail. Something so stubbornly stupid it made the young brunette only roll her eyes. She blamed it all on Zelena only being half a Mills through blood. And some part of her thought that maybe the already growing bitterness was just a mask for the bubbling jealousy she held, because Zelena just seemed to have so much more freedom in herself and everything than Regina ever would.

Yes, she was the mayor’s daughter. Yes, she had responsibilities that no 24-year-old should be having, and one would only assume herself into a position where she could fulfil every demanding order from Cora Mills. Fortunately, the town rarely had an ordeal of problems to sort out, and so she wouldn’t be missed for a weekend where she could finally go out and act her damn age.

The brunette let a sigh fall from her painted lips as her fingers tapped impatiently on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change from red to green felt like an eternity. As soon as the in-between amber was flickering on, Regina made her quick escape before her mother had chance to come running out saying she’d changed her mind and order the young brunette to get straight back into the mayoral mansion. A sigh of relief fluttered through her lips as she passed the town line, and it felt like an immense amount of weight had been lifted off of her chest almost instantly and finally her drive to Boston didn’t seem all that bad.

She wasn’t sure why she had decided upon Boston as her final, and probably only, vacation destination outside of Storybrooke. But when she’d pointed blindly at the oversized globe in her mother’s home office and found her manicured nail pointing bang in the middle of the city, she felt a warmness filling her heart. She knew then it was most definitely the best place for her to be headed. And when she’d realised what a perfect amount of distance from her and her mother, and Storybrooke, and boring old townsfolk it was, she booked her hotel.

She’d packed her bags ready for any occasion, even if she was only going to be away three days, because for once she hadn’t _had_ to plan anything. Part of her, the part that wanted that stress free, easy living vibe her half-sister had, needed this to be completely spontaneous. And the other part, the learnt control freak behaviour’s her mother had so graciously given her, that part was backing itself into a shaky part of her brain as it quietly made home in a mental breakdown at the lack of preparedness.

She gently reminded herself that she needed this break from everything. From responsibility that was older than her, and workloads that made her age at an increasing rate. And just everything that the small town had to offer. Even if only for a weekend. 

*

*

“Ow, what the hell Rubes,” the blonde immediately went to soothe the pain that followed a vicious jabbing from painted fingernails. Eyes following their perpetrator to find her brunette friend shrugging into the pile of remaining fries she’d gathered in the center of her plate. She glowered down at a lengthened shrug as a long fry was snaked through painted lips.

“Just wanted to see if it would hurt.”

“Well it did, satisfied?” she looked back down to the purpling bruise that forever seemed to change its shape. Ruby’s prodding hadn’t helped its healing development as it seemingly turned a darker shade of its already midnight-y glow. And seriously, it’d been what? Two days already? Surely this ugly, splodgy stain thingy (that could also be passed as a scratch because of the weird grazing down the middle) should have been getting better, it _should_ have healed by now.

And then she looked back to a nodding Ruby with an endlessly burning scowl.

“Not my fault you walked into an entire building, Em.”

“I did not walk into-” she’d tried to start but then, “Ow, _quit it.” _

Ruby shrugged again, this time with a slight smile on her lips and of course, “I’m bored,” was piling out of her huff as she rolled onto her back, nearly forcing the plate of half-finished fries to fall to its untimely demise. Something Emma hadn’t been prepared to let happen, reaching out before it could slip anymore off of the bed.

“You’re always bored,” she mumbled in reply, standing to place the plate onto her dresser and watching in the mirror as Ruby aimlessly flopped around her bed in some sort of moping induced tantrum.

“Yeah but I’m reaaallly bored,” she groaned through a long sigh, jumping up onto her knees after a moments more sulking. Emma still hadn’t turned from the mirror, but she saw the mirthful grin overtaking the frown her friend had once been campaigning in the reflection.

“No.”

“Wha- I didn’t even say anything.”

“Whatever it is, no,” Emma sighed out, turning now to face a Ruby who was pulling that kicked puppy expression, her lip quivering dramatically as she forced herself into a begging position.

“I just wanna go ou-”

“Nope,” Emma turned again, taking the plate as an excuse to escape the conversation and pace her way to the kitchen. Followed by the animalistic groaning of her friend who, from what she’d heard, had just flopped back down onto the bed… and then she heard the light pattering of scampering footsteps behind her as she placed the plate down into the sink. Groaning again, she ignored the obvious presence behind her.

“Please, Em, just a few drinks,” she was begging now, a childlike lightness to her voice made Emma almost want to cave in just to get her to stop. _Almost. _

“It’s never just a few drinks, and I have a load of stuff for work-”

“Then just say it’s research.”

“What?”

“What?”

“In _what_ way would that be research?” Emma turned with her arms laced over her chest, eyebrows furrowed, and head cocked slightly to the side. Ruby shrugged, picking at a couple grapes that were hanging over the edge of their shared fruit bowl. 

“That’s what you do isn’t it?”

All Emma could do was watch with genuine curiosity, an ounce of amusement catching her grin.

“Ruby, what exactly do you think a bails bonds woman does?”

The brunette shrugged again, this time fashioning a genuinely innocent frown.

“You go out, get drunk, and beat a few men up if you feel like it, right?”

Emma blinked at her for a few moments before realising that’s _exactly_ what Ruby thought she did for a living. The girl really wasn’t kidding around.

“You know what, that’s spot-on Rubes, well done,” Emma laughed out, moving from the position she’d frozen in so that she could go and grab some water. But the moment she had her back turned she felt something small, and hard(ish) hit her directly on the back of her head. She sighed, letting her eyes pull shut as she gathered her bearings before turning to find Ruby frowning once more. Fingers still fiddling with a couple more grapes on the counter, exactly what she’d assumed to be the brunette’s weapon of choice.

“What.”

“Go out.”

“No.”

“You’re boring,” Ruby moaned, falling till her head landed heavily on the counter. Emma shook her own head all the way back till she could feel the very tips of her curls tickling the skin beneath her sports bra. Letting out a loud groan at the same time as she stomped, just as childishly as Ruby had been acting, over to rest her hands on the counter Ruby was resting on.

“I am _not _boring,” she argued, leaning her chest over the entire counter to try and will Ruby to look back up and come out of her dumb funk.

“Uh huh.”

Emma groaned again.

“I’m trying really hard to adult here Rubes, and you’re making it damn hard,” she sighed into the palm of her hand as she pushed back up off the counter.

“Okay, so adult… with alcohol,” Ruby beamed a smile in her direction. Emma’s hand flying from her face as she looked upon her stubborn friend with disbelief.

“That’s not how this-”

“Please Em, I really need this after everything with douche face _Peter_,” Ruby let her bottom lip fall back out, and _goddamn_ _her_ for using him as a stupid excuse. Emma shook her head, knowing exactly how hard everything had been for her best friend and _that dick_. And now she knew Ruby apparently meant business if she was ready to start bringing him up again without suddenly submerging herself into a woeful and messy kind of mental breakdown.

“You really are annoying you know that, right?” Emma started, Ruby was still smiling. “And you have _no_ consideration for others responsibilities.”

“As Shakespeare once said, this bitch empty… yeet,” she finished with her hand on her heart and her eyes rolling to the heavens as she feigned prayer. Emma furrowed her brows and stood straight again in a confused kind of silence.

“What the fuck does that even mean-”

“I expect you to be ready in an hour, max!” Ruby called out happily as Emma was left watching her gallop off excitedly to her room.

She took the water that she’d not been given opportunity to take a single sip from and grumpily dragged herself towards her room, beginning to get ready as loudly as she could.

*

*

“It’s loud.”

“You’re loud.”

“It’s hot.”

“You’re hot.”

“Can we go yet?”

“Oh my god, Emma we just got here,” the blonde huffed into her drink, rolling her eyes in the same movement before allowing them to inspect the bar Ruby had hustled her into. It was nothing but sweaty bodies grinding up on one another, drinks being spilt down dresses and lyrics being badly screamed out from every corner of the room.

_Yeah, brilliant idea Ruby. _

She sighed again. Grumbling her worries into the drink she downed a little too easily. They _hadn’t _just got here, they’d been here for just over an hour and now both women were on their fourth drink, bar all the shots Ruby had ordered and practically thrown down her blonde friend’s throat_. _

_Come to think of it_, that still burned. Emma reached a hand to grapple the pain on the outside, rubbing in a hopefulness that it would somehow ease the scratching.

“Quit whining,” she was nudged by an elbow as Ruby smiled down to her, ultimately taller in the six-inch heels she’d been rocking all evening, “just let loose.” Emma’s eyebrows bobbed up and down as a fake smile plastered itself on her face.

“You know Ruby,” she waited till she had the leggy brunette’s attention. “I really hope you go far in life,” she started, taking a quick sip of the drink she’d just been passed. Watching as Ruby smiled sweetly down to her, but then “and stay there,” she finished with a wider grin, gaining an eye roll and a playful shove in return.

“Whatever,” she moaned, taking a gulp of… whatever it was she was drinking. It didn’t look a healthy color. “You’re too young to be getting so wound up with work already.” Emma turned at that, continuing to inspect the crowds with a cautious glare.

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Where’s your proof?”

“I came down last night to find you _still _working on one of your dumbass cases.”

“Yeah, and?”

“…And it was five in the damn morning,” Emma shrugged and took another sip of her drink as she leaned just a little back over the bar.

“Finish that,” Ruby commanded as she took her own remaining liquid down in one, slamming the glass down on the counter with a smile. “I wanna dance.”

*

*

This was an awful idea.

This was always going to be an awful idea.

She should have just stayed home where everything was easily in her control.

Here? Here she had nothing but loud noise and dribbles of drink being poured down her front.

She’d been people watching, but her eyes were continuously being drawn to a blonde in jeans and a red jacket… of sorts. It was hardly a jacket and more of a cheap piece of material slung loosely over her back. Regina ignored the choice of apparel, scolding herself for thinking so much like her mother.

The blonde was dancing, only slightly in time with the music, conversing with a brunette who looked a little more elated than the blonde who was glaring with nothing but feigned distain at her surroundings. She laughed then, because oh how similar someone you don’t even know can be to oneself. 

She continued to look on at their conversation, feeling her heart beat a little more when the woman turned and gave her a full view of everything. Holding in a gasp, she let her eyes scan over the splendour that this woman was. She swallowed down a breath and shuffled in her seat, licking at her lips that started to dry out as she watched the mystery woman gulp down (rather impressively) the entirety of her drink, only to then be pulled onto the dancefloor by her leggy friend.

And there were no words to describe what Regina had been feeling as she watched the rhythmic swaying of the blonde’s hips and the way in which she moved so freely, so freely _against_ her tall friend.

She swallowed again.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“Excuse me?” Regina was pulled out of her thoughts, eyes trailing to find a lightly bearded man standing with a playful grin on his lips and a bop in his step as he timed in perfectly with the music. He pointed down to her empty glass on the table, eyeing up the lack of contents and then going to meet the brunettes glare once more.

“A drink. Can I get you another?” he was teasing a little. And now Regina noticed the British accent tinting his words, she thought for a moment. Looking down to the lonely looking glass on the table and then back to the still smiling man. If only to be polite she smiled back and nodded, letting him take the small of her back and lead them both over to the overcrowded bar where he pushed and shoved to make sure they both had a comfortable space to stand.

“What’s your poison?”

Regina thought again, thinking of her options. Heavily regretting entertaining his evening with her presence and wanting to escape. This was just way too far out of her comfort zone. She wasn’t one for this kind of socialising, especially when she could see nothing but lust in the stranger beside her. His intentions were clear, and really, what else should she have been expecting from meeting someone on an evening like this.

But then she asked herself what would Zelena do. And suddenly “Appletini,” she moved in an inch closer into the man so she could drip the word right into his ear. Something that instantly made the man melt just a little, stuttering as he placed the orders and then going back to give Regina a goofy grin. She reprimanded him with a small smile as she nervously tugged a strand of hair behind her ear.

It was only a moments awkward silence before they were blessed with an excuse not to talk, drinking. Gulping down hers Regina made record time for finishing the tinted liquid, sliding the glass along the bar as she wiped the corners of her mouth with the tips of her fingers. The stranger could only watch in adoration, noticing her determination he quickly finished off his own drink. Placing his glass down in the same fashion.

“Another?” he asked hurriedly, clearly appreciative of the woman he’d taken a chance on this evening. Regina shook her head, instantly feeling the liquid courage pool in the pit of her stomach, warming every inch of her and slowly she could start to feel her inhibitions slipping from her completely. He looked a little disheartened at that. But then Regina moved back into his space, feeling a hand move to the small of her back as she let her chin rest on his shoulder. She saw the blonde again, they made brief eye contact. But it was so dark, and Regina was already a little tipsy so she couldn’t really tell if the blonde was staring at her or someone else.

“Shots,” she husked. He nodded eagerly when she pulled away. Regina being able to eye the blonde behind him again, her stare filled with nothing but a dark kind of promising temptation when she noticed stormy eyes were definitely trained on her.

And with 2 more appletinis, 4 shots, and some serious overthinking, Regina was on the dancefloor with the stranger who’d been crowding her time for the entirety of her evening.

She’d never felt so exhilarated, so overwhelmed, so free. So, _everything. _And being spurred on with hands on her waist, she turned to grind desperately into the man behind her, raising an arm to reach above her so that fingers could graze over his neck. Her head flopped back with an easy smile playing at her lips, feeling the weight of everything resting on the shoulder beneath her she let her eyes flutter shut…

Only to pull them immediately open when she felt the grinding presence move to lean in for a kiss. And then she was standing completely upright, laughing awkwardly as she watched the man being pulled from his lust induced haze.

“Sorry, I need a drink,” she yelled louder than needed, the stranger (who actually, hadn’t even offered his name or asked for hers in return) stood baffled, bringing his hand to scratch at the back of his head. Nodding a little with a small smile before gesturing to follow in Regina’s footsteps.

She felt her fists clenching at her sides as she screwed her eyes shut, feeling that ounce of courage dispersing into nothing as her thoughts started to become a little clearer and she realised she really hadn’t felt any romantic interest for the stranger still following her. She could only feel a little guilty, he seemed nice enough but… just not quite _nice_ enough to sate her appetite. 

Storybrooke hadn’t much to offer in the means of dating, and so some could say she wasn’t immensely experienced in all of that nonsense. And perhaps she’d been over-estimating herself and her compatibility with _men_ in particular. It wasn’t that she found them vulgar or anything like that, but she’d always found the company of a woman somewhat sweeter. And well, there had been a few men. It’s not like she was completely put off by the idea and she’d always blamed that on the incapability’s of Storybrooke in being able to produce _normal_ men. But perhaps this night would be living proof that she should lean a little more on the _sweeter_ side. Because there had also been a few women. Just a handful of women in her time that simply knew how to take her breath away.

She cringed when he joined her at the bar and let a hand pat warmly against her shoulder before ordering the usual drinks they’d been gulping for majority of the night. They got into a small conversation about nothing. She thought it was mostly to keep the elephant in the room from jumping out the closet and blowing everything completely before the night was over. Neither one seemed all too confident in this department and Regina wasn’t sure if that made the whole thing a hell of a lot more nerve wracking or if it put her more at ease.

When their drinks were on the bar and she had a glass in hand, she shook the thoughts away, already reeling to lose her inhibitions once more.

And it was when she let her eyes roam the crowds did she catch contact with the blonde from earlier sitting far across on the other side of the bar. Only lit with a dim glow of bar lights and flashes from phones. She knew she was being stared back at just as hard this time. She could feel its intensity, and the heat that flushed her earlier tense body. She continued taking sips of her drink, keeping close eye contact with the woman who’d almost made her completely forget about the man to her left who’d continued making jokes in her mental absence. Perhaps she had a sweeter tooth than first imagined.

She let her eyes flitter for a second to feign interest in their conversation, gulping down the rest of her drink as she went to look back at the still staring blonde. It was all a little weird. This staring match they had going on. She didn’t feel threatened, or uncomfortable. She felt on edge, but on edge in a good way. If that was ever a thing. Which of course confused things even more so in the brunettes intoxicated brain. She felt on edge in a way that left her hanging on anticipation and want and everything she hadn’t been feeling moments before.

And she didn’t know why but, “lets go dance again,” slipped from her lips.

The man was quite happy to take her up on the offer as he eagerly took the lead on this one. She looked back to the blonde who was smirking ever so slightly into her drink. Trying to converse telepathically and hoping, but secretly knowing, that the blonde was at an understanding of what Regina expected her to do.

She was distracted for the most of it all, ignoring the peppered kisses on her neck, and dancing that she’d participated in as her eyes impatiently scraped through the crowds to find her mystery blonde. God knows what she was going to do when she’d finally find her, but there was something so calmingly familiar about her that she instantly made the brunette forget about everything at home. She had a look in her eyes, something that told Regina she had everything the brunette needed and more. 

She almost jumped out of excitement when she saw the woman… but then felt instantly deflated when she saw her dancing with another, much taller and leggier brunette. The same one from earlier. A frown painted itself into her lips as she felt her stranger snake his hands round her waist, pulling her closer, giving her a perfect view of the blonde over his shoulder. She let out a small sigh, breath hitching when she saw the woman make eye contact again. Intense eye contact that felt like a fucking beam being signalled directly into her soul. And then she rolled her eyes, because could she get anymore sickeningly cliché.

The two continued this weird combination of dancing with another and staring at each other for a while, until the blonde finally flashed a mirthful smile that made the brunettes knees go weak and she really, _goddamn it_, she really couldn’t hold back anymore.

“I have to use the restroom,” she whispered into the man’s ear, leaning back to see him nodding. Looking intoxicated with something more than just the alcohol. She nodded as well, unsticking herself from his embrace.

She could feel the burning glare of the blonde still watching her as she fled the dance floor, hurrying to find the single bathroom and praying with everything in her that it was free so she wouldn’t have the chance to change her mind.

**

Emma watched the woman she’d secretly had an eye on for majority of the night, keeping that same smirk on her cheeks as she saw how flustered and _wanting _the brunette looked as she rushed into the back to find some kind of quiet solace.

Oh, _quiet_ was definitely one of the things Emma was hoping the brunette wouldn’t be. 

But then she shook herself out of her thought’s, what the hell had come over her. She really could just be using the bathroom, nothing more. And here Emma was prowling after her like some sex crazed animal. She scolded herself mentally for the misinterpretation.

Then there was one final look. A look that just told her absolutely everything, and suddenly every unanswered question dropped from her mind. Completely sure of herself and exactly what the brunette wanted.

And apparently, she wanted it now.

Emma raised her eyebrows at the subtle bossiness of her mystery woman, laughing a little as she took Ruby in for a spin.

“I need a bathroom break,” Emma shouted above the music, Ruby smiled. And then she winked. And Emma was confused again. “What?”

“Don’t what me, I’ve seen how you’ve been looking at her all night,” Ruby laughed, still dancing as she teased and prodded the blonde with gentle jabs. Emma rolled her eyes, trying to act completely unaware of what she was accusing. And then she shrugged with a hidden smile lurking in the movement. Ruby laughed again, before finding herself occupied with one of the girls who’d been trying to dance with her all evening.

*

*

Opening the door and seeing it empty, she sighed with relief, closing it behind her and drowning out all the excess noise from the bar and the screams from the girls.

There was a click.

She’d barely heard it; the alcohol had dulled her senses severely. And if it weren’t for the perfectly placed mirror giving a full-length view of the blonde, she probably wouldn’t have even noticed.

She looked up from where she was leaning against the bathroom sink, head rising from where it had slung forwards. Coming the closest she’d been to the blonde than she had done all evening.

Her breath left her, everything left her bar that poisoning pool of lust that was dripping from every inch of her and, _pull yourself together Regina. _

She let out a shaky breath. Standing completely straight, seeing the blonde watching her intently with her hands casually slumped in her back pockets. She looked, fine. And Regina hated that, because inside she was burning with so much, too much, so _damn_ much. With nerves, with want, with an unquenched thirst that needed to be sated before she exploded.

Neither one made any move for a while, with only remnants of the bar outside filtering in softly through the closed door. And then Regina gulped back a breath, taking her eyes from Emma as she placed her purse on the bathroom sink, turning in the same movement as she again found herself in a trance of never-ending eye contact.

She had no idea what she was doing, she didn’t know if she was doing this right and, _how_ could she be doing this wrong when nothing had even happened.

She had so many pent-up nerves that her body was just freaking out in every way possible. She had no idea how she was able to take such graceful, gentle steps to an unmoving blonde whose breath seemed to quicken. And Regina could see, she could see because the blonde’s chest was rising heavier than it had been before, and then she found herself still again as she watched the hypnotic movement.

Suddenly feeling braver, she took the distance between them in with a few extra steps, until they were a hair line apart. Breath crashing together like a dance between partners. Eyes keeping complete focus on each other.

The blonde looked a little more nervous as Regina got closer, seeing that same river of hesitancy in sea green eyes, pooling just behind pupils. Her breath kept getting louder, and _goddamn it _she had never been so aroused by someone’s damn_ breathing. _

But then she did something really brave. She took another step. Their bodies weren’t quite flush together, but she could feel everything, every part of the blonde was on her, in the gentlest form possible and dear God, she just wanted more, she wanted everything. She wanted to feel every part of this woman on top of her. She leaned in, only slightly, enough that the blondes chin could reach over her shoulder as she reached out to lock the door. Hearing the snap of the metal against wood she jumped a little, closing her eyes softly as she savoured the way in which the other woman had turned her head so there was warm breath brushing teasingly against her bare neck.

It felt so hot and sticky. And she couldn’t help but adjust her position a little, so the air was blowing right on her pulse point. She was sure, so goddamn sure, she could feel the ghost of lips on her skin and that just drove her insane.

She pulled her eyes open and pulled back from the position they’d found themselves in. It was her turn now, for her breathing to partake in a marathon as it raced to escape her body. Looking at Emma directly again and seeing her eyes had darkened to the point where she was sure, in the right lighting, they could look black. Those same eyes wondered to her lips, slowly. Too slow. The slowest she’d done anything.

She felt an energy of unsureness fill the room, and she took initiative, as she often did in things. Stepping backwards a couple of steps before turning back to the sink. Hands pressing firmly into the ceramic and preparing herself for one of the boldest thing’s she’d ever done.

She bent over. Not all the way. Just, enough. Enough to expose herself to the blonde who was looking as though she might explode if she weren’t to hurry in the process of whatever the hell this was.

Regina was thankful for the dress she’d chosen to wear, because when the other woman had finally gathered enough courage to walk forward and take an exposed thigh into her hand, she couldn’t help but let out her high through a quiet whimper as cold dents were pressured into her fevering skin.

Emma let her hand sit there for a while, watching Regina react so quickly to her touch as her head was thrown dramatically forward. Using her nails now instead, she slowly raked lines that weren’t deep enough to mark but hard enough to gain a responsive hiss and moan from the woman who was still willingly bent over the sink.

She reached high enough to pull just a slither of the tight dress Regina wore up her thigh, teasing as she released a satisfied laugh alongside the whimper’s Regina continued to breath out, subtly leaning a little more into the blonde behind her to try and spur the woman on.

There was a moment more of this teasing, scratching, pulling, feather light touches that left a fiery kind of burn in their wake. But then she felt her back colliding with the wall she was sure was just to the right of her, and she had the blonde pressed firmly into her, relishing in the feeling of being used as that barrier, hands finding themselves creasing into the cheap leather she’d been mocking before and pulling animalistically (and _uncharacteristically)_ at the blonde, needing her closer to the pulse between her thighs. Needing her to relieve the pressure that was quickly building.

She had a hand palming golden locks as lips sucked hard at her exposed pulse point, and she couldn’t help the noises that were escaping her or the fact that she’d unconsciously moved her head to allow even more access to the blonde who seemed to be enjoying her time where she was.

Pale hands explored every curve, every dip the woman beneath her had to offer. Finally laying to rest on her waist as she pulled the brunette flush against her own needy body. Scratching through the thin material in an attempt to claw their way to sit deeper on the brunette. Regina was sure these ones would leave marks.

But she wasn’t one to complain. She’d never been like this, in this state. When teeth were making their mark on a tanned shoulder, she let out her loudest moan of the evening, veering the blonde into making the same noise. And then the brunette was pulling at the golden curls she held firm in her grasp until Emma was staring her in the eyes again. Because by _God, _that had to be the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

She leaned into a messy kiss that was quickly reciprocated with an equally as responsive blonde who hungrily bit down on Regina’s bottom lip. Slowly, releasing it with a pop and then going to lick over the pierced bruise with a smirk on her lips. Regina let out a wanton moan, licking over the mark herself, watching as Emma’s eyes trained themselves on the movement. And then she had a smirk of her own. Only for a second, because she was met with another, much hungrier, kiss. Each woman battling for dominance in a dance so passionate Regina thought she might actually pass out from how aroused she was right at that moment.

She let out a squeak in surprise that quickly turned into a moan of approval when Emma slipped a thigh in-between her own, eagerly grinding down as her body prayed for some sort of friction in the place she needed it the most.

Emma groaned in-between the kiss that had failed to be useful in discouraging her talking. “Tell me what you want,” she added in a lower tone. Almost primal. Filled with so much lust and Regina just moaned with desire at the way the husky tones resonated in the almost silent space between them. But she didn’t say anything, throwing her hands to reach around the stranger’s neck, a pained look on her face as she continued to grind down painfully on the thigh Emma had stilled in tandem with her words. Regina didn’t want to talk. Because talking would turn this into something so much more than it should be. Opening her mouth now would only let intruding thoughts cloud this bliss they’d so quickly created.

She had her eyes closed, so she could only feel fingertips carefully grazing their way up from her hips, reaching the underneath of her bra, running patterns carefully over the wired material.

“Do you want me inside of you?”

Regina’s head was thrown back aggressively against the wall as she let out another high-pitched whimper, nodding in her movement. She still remained painfully silent.

“Tell me,” Emma started in her ear, pausing to take the lobe between her teeth as she bit down playfully before releasing it with a slow pop, licking at it just as slowly until, “have you ever been fucked so hard that you just forget about everything, that you get so lost in the moment you’re sure you’ve made it to heaven. Because that’s what I want to do to you. I want to fuck you hard enou-”

“Just f-fuck me th-then” Regina hissed out, bringing her gaze back to Emma’s wandering eyes. Completely stilling from her movements as she dared Emma to make another move. “I need you.”

“Where.”

“Everywhere.”

The blonde was only now all the more compliant after hearing the brunette’s needy whines for the first time that evening. Bringing their lips together in an assault for passion and dominance and hunger until Regina was finding something other than the leather to keep herself upright. A hand flying out to rest on the dryer, hitting it with enough force that it felt like the whole machine would completely fall off, but she didn’t care because Emma had moved down again. Her lips were biting down on her collar bone and the space where shoulder meets neck, swirling wet circles with her tongue on the layers of exposed skin.

She found it hard to concentrate on anything, but she could feel hands making their way up her back and the sound of her zipper bouncing off of the walls was all she could hear till a harsh sting of nails was burning lines down her newly exposed back. Stopping at the clasp of her bra.

Emma pulled back then. Looking at Regina with a question in her eyes that she didn’t need to voice, making sure this was all still okay. And when Regina nodded, desperately, that same primal spark in her eye’s came back, and she was pulling both dress and bra down in one swift movement.

Emma let herself take it all in, gasping at the sight before smiling a wicked grin as she took both perfectly sized mounds into her hands. Squeezing gently, too gently for Regina who squirmed under the feel. Pushing her chest up to try and force more pressure on herself but Emma took her time, slowing down the tongue on Regina’s neck as she massaged the skin in her hands.

She traced lines with her fingers until she found hard nipples to be her new favourite play things. Regina hissed when she felt fingertips squeeze them hard enough to bruise.

Emma hummed a laugh into the tanned shoulder beneath her lips, sliding down till she was eye level with the breasts she’d just been torturing for what felt like a century. Kissing soft kisses in a trail towards stiff nipples, caressing them with a gentle tongue before biting down with a hungry kind of vigour. Pushing her hips more into the brunette to keep her from wiggling too much out of the embrace. Being spurred on by the quiet mewls falling from painted lips. Her eyes darting up to see that now that same red had been smeared all over Regina’s cheek and jaw and neck, and how goddamn attractive the brunette looked with mussed up hair, breathless beneath her and panting for more.

Recovering from a moments dizziness Regina finally opened her eyes, making contact with the blonde again to see her smiling with pride up at her. Adoring just how good this stranger looked latched onto her like that, realizing now how much control she’d lost in the moments spent in here.

She regained some of the breath she’d lost, taking a hand to pull the blonde back up to meet her lips.

This kiss was a little more sensual than the ones before, slower. Definitely slower. And it felt like for the first time she was really feeling something. Something so deep inside that it made her stomach flip a thousand times, and she could feel a different kind of warmth rise in her cheeks, and when she felt Emma’s hands carefully grace her hips to tug her into a tighter embrace she pulled back. Emma let her grip fall just a little, eyes finding home in Regina’s as they both shared a silent thought that neither one dared to voice.

Voicing it would change everything. And they’d just met. Regina knew that. Regina knew that this was all just a hazy kind of false want. A want for something more than sex. She took in a breath, searching sea green eyes as she thought just how crazy she sounded at the drifting thought. It was stupid. They’d just met. They’d barely even actually _met_, so how could it be that she’d suddenly felt something that felt like home in this stranger.

“Are you o-”

“Don’t.”

“What-”

“Don’t speak.”

Regina daren’t let Emma even try to say anything else, twisting their positions till she had the blonde pinned in the exact same way she’d been not long before. Hands desperately searching for the skin beneath her tank top, pulling at it aggressively as she tried to shrug any thoughts other than the burning lust away. Wanting this to be just… well just this. Just this one moment. And nothing more.

She growled into the blonde’s kiss as its passion was only growing with more want and desire and she had to stop when she felt a hand that wasn’t her own snake down to cup the spot between her thighs. Mouth opening in a gasp with Emma’s lips smiling into the half kiss they were currently sharing. There was a damp heat that they could both feel through lace panties and it made them both suck in a moan, Emma forcing a squeal out of the woman on top of her when she applied even more pressure to the place she knew she was wanted most.

Regina took a moment of unrequited grinding and heavy breathing to calm herself, busying her hands with the tight belt of dark jeans till the buckle clipped open. Sliding the material down toned thighs as quickly as she could so she could re-join the two in a demanding kiss. Beating Emma to it as she slipped a hand between cotton panties, gracing fingers over Emma’s slick entrance.

“Fuck,” Emma stuttered. Eyes squeezing shut and then, “Emma.” Regina stood back a little. Being pulled from her self-induced haze as she looked the blonde stranger up and down. Had she really just called out another woman’s name at her touch.

“Excuse me,” she dared Emma to speak again, biting down on the words as quickly as she retrieved her hand. Emma looked up panicked for a moment, eyes darting down to the increasing distance between them.

“My name,” Emma laughed nervously. “Emma,” she said again, hoping to God she hadn’t just fucked up with her stupid word vomit. Regina still looked a little unsure, but she hadn’t completely released her grip. Emma thought quick on her feet, moving in closer again, hesitant in case Regina felt means for escape. But the brunette hadn’t moved.

“I want to fuck you till you’re screaming out my name. You can’t do that without knowing it,” the blonde hissed into Regina’s ear, biting down so hard into her shoulder Regina could feel blood being drawn through the mark. She rolled her head to the side, allowing Emma to kiss her way up the side of the tanned neck. Only to be brought down from her cloudy haze when Emma had returned the favour of sliding fingers over her clit, moving in small circles against the hardening nub, smiling her way up her neck as she felt Regina shiver with pleasure.

The brunette let out a gasp when Emma started teasing again, skating over Regina’s entrance, dipping closer to her entrance, leaving cautious touches over her most sensitive area.

She felt the challenge spur her on, laughing a husky laugh that made Emma shake in response before pushing two fingers inside of the blonde, hard. Pulsing their way in and out as quickly as possible. Gasping when she felt Emma only rise to the competition, feeling three of Emma’s fingers be easily pushed inside of her, wanting to scream out everything that was on her mind but also wanting to stay completely silent. She was grateful for the barrier in her throat that the immense pleasure had caused, because it meant she was at an incapability of speaking any thoughts she may have on her mind. But she made good on Emma’s request. She couldn’t help herself from letting the blonde’s name rip from her throat.

Both women nipped, pinched, sucked, bit, soothed, licked at each other as both came down from a tumbling high as they each rode out their shared orgasms, Regina first and then Emma shortly after. Both retrieving their hands and collapsing into a comforting embrace against the wall.

“Regina,” the brunette whispered into Emma’s sweaty locks. Hands curling around the strands as she moved in closer to the hold. She felt Emma’s arms lock around her waist in a tightening embrace. It made her feel safe, comforted. It made her loose any inhibitions she held moments before the bathroom. “Mills,” she added, and for what? No one knows. But as soon as she’d voiced her full name she panicked. Pulling abruptly away from a blonde who’d nearly completely lost her balance at the move. Eyes still dizzy and hazy from their time together but trying hard to focus on their surroundings.

“Are you-”

“I said don’t talk,”

“What-”

“What did I _just say?_” Regina eyed Emma with a glare so dark she could physically see the blonde pinning herself closer to the wall.

“But you just-”

“No,” Regina near enough yelled as she went back to plaster her hands on the sink once again. Straightening herself out as it felt a little too close to how they’d started this evening. “_Stop. Talking_.”

Emma had that kicked puppy look on her face, head resting defeatistly against the wall and hands folded glumly over her chest.

The two didn’t speak for a while whilst Regina readied herself for the outside world once more. Emma couldn’t bring herself to look away from the brunette, scared that if she did, she’d never be able to lay eyes on her again. And for some reason she couldn’t bear to live with the thought.

Regina was feeling almost the same. She couldn’t bring herself to leave, even if _she_ had been the one to stop their brief post-fuck conversation. She liked Emma’s company. Even if she was sat sulking against a wall as she waited for the brunette to get ready.

They both took in a deep breath when Regina dared a look to Emma in the reflection, eyes burning with so much more, something other than what they’d been burning with before. The brunette didn’t have time for that, not for any of that. So, she tried to make herself scarce. Only to find Emma stepping directly in her way.

“Move.”

“No.”

“Why.”

“Take my number.”

“What?”

Emma let out a huff of air, a small smile taking hold of her lips as she looked down to the scowling brunette with complete adoration.

“My card, call me.” She added with a swaggering kind of smile. Regina blinked down to the little card that Emma held between the two fingers she’d just used to fuck her with, she shivered at the thought, gulping down the sudden need to go again. She took the card. If only to shut the blonde up and let her move from the enclosed space they’d locked themselves in. She looked briefly towards the white paper. _Emma Swan_ written in bold italics across the front.

“See ya later, Mills,” Emma called from the open door as the brunette shuffled through the crowds, rolling her eyes as she made a quick escape.

*

*

_Present_

She’d never, _ever_ imagined herself to be in a situation like this. A situation where her 11-year-old son had just dragged her ass from Boston to… what was it? Storybrooke? (seriously, what kind of cliché bullshit) and was now pushing open the gate to his mother’s house, ranting nonstop about how evil she is and how much she doesn’t care about him and… whatever… she felt bad for the lady. But she also felt bad for Henry. And yeah, he looked like he’d had a good life… a much better life than she could have ever given him. But she still gave him up, and now that’s a shared burden. One that her and this 11-year-old boy had to share. And the more she thought about it, the more she realised that this was literally a whole ass fucking tethered burden that wouldn’t stop pounding a searing kind of pain on her racing heart. 

He seemed like a good kid, a loving, kind, devious little _shit_. But one that she somehow created, one that some other woman- his mother… had created. And that, that was… she didn’t even have words. There were no words. There was only thought, and her mind was just as fucked as it was 11 years ago, so now it seemed even thought was bailing on her. 

She watched with confusion upon the boy striding a few fast steps in front of her. That backpack was bigger than him and he just looked so fucking tiny waltzing up to the mansion, and yet, he just looked like he ruled the place. Like he was boss, and suddenly she realized that this mother of his was probably the biggest fucking push over. This was gonna be easy.

  1. Apologise for the kid.
  2. Make some light banterous conversation so that she can get the hell out of there.
  3. Literally, get out.

This was a piece of cake.

But then she looked at the boy- her… son, again and felt a frown form. She couldn’t help but feel so insanely fucking guilty. He was so small. Not just in height, but in everything. He was so small and he just… fuck. She couldn’t just leave right? After all this? That’s not right. That’s not like… human, right? But then again, the blonde was never gonna be a good judge of that so, its probably better that she just got the hell out of there-

“_You’re_ Henry’s birth mother?”

_Fuck wait is that-_

“Hi…”

_Fuck, fuck, fuck me, fuck this. Fuck literally **everything**_ **. **

“How would you like some of the best apple cider you ever tasted?”

_No wait, fucking things is **exactly** what got me into this situation. _

“Got anything stronger?”

_You know what, I can’t win. Fuck **everything** bar Regina **Fucking** Mills. _

She hadn’t been paying enough attention to anything that was going on to realize that it was her. It was _her. It was **Regina**. _But the brunette seemed to have no idea of who the fuck she was and now… well now she was fucked, because all she’d been able to think about was this one woman. This one stupidly beautiful woman that managed to snake her way under her skin for 11 goddamn years. And this one woman had no idea who she was. She’d forgotten her. And _yes._ She should have taken the fucking hint when Regina hadn’t even bothered to call back, but Emma very rarely made smart judgment calls.

And now they were in her study. _They were in her **study. **_And all she could do was sit and make polite conversation with this, this one fucking… this _one _woman that she still thought about to this very fucking day.

Regina was blathering on about evil shit, or something. But Emma was too busy trying to quieten the beating pulse in her heart, and head, and between her thighs. And then Regina said something that made her click. Her eyes bouncing up from swirling in the burnt orange liquid and pinning the brunette down with an agonisingly long glare.

“…and I certainly hadn’t expected his mother to be someone I had already-” she’d stopped instantly, obviously having been on a never-ending spew of explanations and whatever else, but Emma hadn’t been listening too carefully to catch the beginning of her sentence. It almost didn’t matter now. Because Regina looked like she’d been caught, like she knew Emma wasn’t going to let this slide. And she couldn’t keep it in any longer. She couldn’t fucking hold back the word vomit.

“Had already what?” she dared to ask. An unnerving silence settling between them suddenly. Regina refused to answer, and it reminded Emma of when they’d first met. Which is what she was sure Regina was almost about to bring up, how they’d already been acquainted, maybe a little too acquainted with one another. And well, Emma wasn’t complaining about that, but, “why didn’t you call?”

Regina sat back in her seat. Fingers clenching around the rim of the glass. She tensed. She visibly tensed and Emma really had no idea what the fuck that meant, so she just waited.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t play stupid,” Emma sighed, falling back into the leather chair she was sat on, taking another sip of the cider she’d been nursing all evening. Trying hard to focus on anything but red painted lips.

Regina just looked angry, she looked like she was going to explode. Her face crimsoning to a bright red as she dared to stare deep into sea green eyes.

“Why?”

“I tried.”

“That’s such bullshit?” 

Regina gasped, as dramatically as possible and all Emma could do was laugh. This woman was ridiculous… but like… she was, for some reason, ridiculously _interested_ in her.

“How is it _my _fault that your business cards are missing a goddamn digit?”

Emma’s brows furrowed together as she rocked forward in the seat. Regina remained as still as a statue, forever the composure of a queen.

“I used those cards everywhere.”

Regina waited a beat before she stood, knocking Emma back without even touching her and storming to her desk as she rummaged, loudly, through the stacked papers in her draws.

Not even daring a look at the blonde as she flung a scrap of paper in her direction.

Emma ogled the card, noticing now that it was the one she’d given Regina. Also noticing the lack of digit at the end, and feeling her cheeks burn into a red. This must have been one of the old ones, the accidental batch that she’d done wrong. She opened her mouth to speak, eyes sparing glances between the fuming brunette and the card that for some reason was still in pristine condition. And then she smiled.

“You kept it,” she dared, with a confidence twinkling in her eyes as she started to put two and two together. _I tried _was replaying in her mind, spoken in that heatedly vicious tantrum Regina had thrown.

The brunette gulped down some of her reaming cider, ignoring the question as she went to open her study door.

“I think you should leave,” she sighed, eyes crossing the distance between them until they were met with her heeled feet. Emma shuffled around, taking her time in standing. Observing the clearly nervous Regina until she felt it acceptable to make her way towards the brunette. 

Regina felt the movement, instantly freezing as she waited for the blondes next move. Stepping back a little as she watched, with genuine curiosity, the blonde taking gentle, but confident, steps towards her. That same smirk she’d been wearing on _that night_ playing at her lips. That same smirk that she’d had physically embedded into her mind ever since.

“And I don’t think that’s really what you want,” Emma teased confidently, marvelling in the sudden shakiness in Regina’s form with her leering presence. The brown eyes never dared to jump the edge from tips of heeled toes to meet Emma’s. So, the blonde waited patiently, a nervousness brewing in her stomach and sparking every limb in her body. Half expecting the brunette to just kick her out and be done with it, but really wishing hard that this could be a second chance.

There was a new silence in the room when Regina finally felt brave enough to meet the expectant, gentle glare beaming from the taller woman. She sighed, looking so lost and down in herself and Emma felt guilty again. Lips curling into a frown as she subtly inched back a little. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to hold back from wrapping her leathered arms around the small waist of the tiny woman in front of her. There was a sadness there too. A sadness Emma knew wasn’t her place to pry on, but she so stupidly spoke anyway. The blonde sat back on the arm of the chair behind her, breathing out in the same movement.

“I’m sorry, I just-” she paused. Taking a breather to gather her thoughts and words so that the two were perfectly in tune with each other. Nothing was working out, and she felt pressured with a Regina who was now slightly more slumped than before, arms wrapped weakly across her chest and eyes watery with grief. “I couldn’t forget you.” She started, looking to Regina for some sort of approval to continue. “And now, when you’re here right in front of me, with a son… m-my son,” she could barely choke it out, the realisation of this whole messed up situation had finally hit. Her voice was a whisper so quiet that even a pin dropping in the room would have been louder. But Regina heard her, her lips parting with what looked to be genuine shock more than anything. Brown eyes racing lines across the room until they finally landed back on the floor.

“You’re right, this is crazy. I’m gonna get going,” she motioned sadly as she stood from her perched position, hands puzzling together into an unbreakable knot. She couldn’t bring herself to look back to the brunette, because she knew now it would be the very last time. And really, that was worse than having gone eleven years of pining for a woman she’d known for what felt like less than 11 minutes.

There was no way she could enter this world, _their world, _without causing any… awkwardness. And with Henry, nothing would work out in any way that’s good for all of them. This was better, this was how it was supposed to end. She’d said her peace and now she’d have to just make her exit.

  1. Literally, get out.

She slowly started to make her escape, when she felt a gentle tug at her hand. She froze. Quite literally froze. She thought shit like that only ever happened in the movies. But here she was, with a hand on her own and her feet gelled to the damn floor. Neither one of the two woman said anything, Regina’s fingers entrapping Emma like a fly caught in a spider’s web. And then she pulled back, a little too quickly for the blondes liking.

“Can we just, talk?” Regina whimpered softly, taking a small step back to let Emma back into the study once she’d turned around. The blonde couldn’t help but let an ounce of the smile she’d wanted to spread take a curl to her lips, nodding slightly before re-entering the room. She found comfort in the same seat she’d homed moments before. Regina perching awkwardly opposite her, pouring another drink for herself before silently offering Emma the same. The blonde nodded, holding out the glass whilst Regina carefully topped up the already remaining liquid.

They really didn’t know what to say to each other. _Okay, _that was a lie. They knew exactly what they wanted to say to each other. They just didn’t know _how_ to say it. So, Emma, as well versed in the art of conversation as she is finally decided to take the lead.

“He could for real be yours you know,” she joked, smiling a little. Regina didn’t smile back.

“What?” she asked dully.

“Henry… because, well because of his age and everything. And when everything with us… it all just mathematically works out,” she took another larger than large swig of her cider.

“He _is_ mine?” Regina fought, obviously not getting the joke and instead being quick to defend. Emma shook her head, placing her glass down on the table. Struggling to swallow the mouthful of liquid she’d taken without choking on it. Coughing in a panic to get her words out.

“No, I didn’t mean,” she sighed. “I was just trying to make a lame joke. Because, of course he’s yours, I just meant… it was stupid please just, just ignore me-” she was interrupted by a throaty laugh from Regina’s end, and finally the brunette didn’t look so saddened with a wide grin spread across her face.

“Emma, it’s fine. I’m nervous too,” Regina looked to the blonde again, still smiling, eyes softening into something more reassuring. But the blonde felt her courage rise at the comment, suddenly feeling bolder.

“I’m not nervous.”

Regina raised an eyebrow, eyes scanning Emma a little slower than before.

“I find that hard to believe.”

Emma shrugged, sitting back in her chair, looking away from Regina but feeling empowered knowing the brunette was still solely focused on her. She took this time to measure her surroundings, noticing all the papers and files and imperative looking stuff stacked miles high on an organised desk.

“You must be real important, huh?” Emma asked, still not looking at Regina so she could sneak a few more glances. Regina just snorted in reply, but Emma didn’t understand the joke.

“A little, I suppose,” Regina realized soon enough that her son hadn’t informed the unknowing blonde of her mayoral position, she found it somewhat endearing. Emma just nodded in response, finally seeking out the attention Regina had been giving her this entire time whilst she nosily mooched around. It was weird, usually the brunette would have felt uncomfortable having someone snoop around her personal possessions. But with Emma it felt natural. She didn’t mind it.

“Are those of Henry?” the blonde asked, her voice a little shakier now. Regina followed her line of sight. Finding the shelved pictures of her and her son sitting neatly side by side. She hummed in response, noticing the ounce of longing and something else… something lost in Emma’s eyes. She felt guilty, and then she felt lucky… and then she felt guilty again. She didn’t have anything to feel guilty about, but there was something so incredibly sad about all of this. She’d known Henry his entire life, and that’s exactly where she felt lucky, but Emma… Emma had only just met their son, and she couldn’t even imagine the pain she must have been feeling.

Regina took initiative, standing to take the pictures from their shelf and then going to sit back down again. She looked to Emma who had seemingly followed her every move, gesturing for the blonde to join her side.

Emma did so without hesitation, peering down the pictures Regina held in her lap, both women smiling down to the set as the brunette shared stories from memories they’d made together. And then Emma went quiet, eerily so. For some reason Regina knew exactly what was playing on the blonde’s mind.

“It’s okay,” Regina started, only just now noticing the closeness between them as she looked towards Emma who’d turned a little from Regina’s view. She scanned the woman before her, judging the energy in the air before slipping a hand onto a jean clad thigh. Instantly gaining the blonde’s attention. “You can ask me,” she nodded gently, reassuringly.

Emma waited a moment more before finally asking, “why did you adopt?” Regina smiled at the question, fond memories of when she’d first met Henry came flooding back as she approached her answer with words.

“I can’t have children of my own,” she licked at her lips, blinking back a few stray tears that seemed to form at the words from other, much more heart-breaking memories, that came washing in through small waves. “But, adopting Henry was the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she continued, eyes looking down to where her hand was still resting on the denim blue. She could sense Emma wanting to sympathise with her sad story, but she didn’t want that. She’d had too much of that, she didn’t need it. Not when she had Henry now. Even if he was trying to inch his way out of her life… but that was a different story. “And it forever will be the best decision I have ever made.”

Regina had been too lost in thought to notice Emma’s change in mood. Her eyes going watery and she looked ashamed, slouching down into herself like she had something to hide. And then it clicked.

“I’m not judging you, Emma,” she reassured, whispering her words into the silence. Taking a leap and squeezing the thigh she was resting on. “I’m sure you had good reasons,” Emma still didn’t respond, “You aren’t a bad person-”

“You don’t know me.” Emma jumped from where she was sat, her words breathless. Regina startled at the sudden change, hand rising in the air till she pulled it down to sit on her lap. “You have no idea why I put him up for adoption,” Emma argued now, not really with Regina but with herself. She daren't used Henry's name for the entire time she spent muttering to herself. The brunette let her take the moment, for tears to spill and for Emma to really wrap her head around everything. This was a lot, it was heavy, and it was a lot. She knew this was bound to happen.

Emma berated herself for things beyond her control, pacing from one end of the office to the other. Completely forgetting Regina’s presence until she felt careful hands take a hold of her shoulders, slowly sinking her back into reality as she came face to face with the brunette. Her vision was still a little blurry from the few tears she’d let spill. The two could do nothing more than stare. Emma was out of words. Out of energy, and Regina did what she only thought natural to do. She pulled the blonde tight into her embrace, squeezing tighter when she felt the other woman relax into the hug, head resting into the crook of her neck as her last few sobs fell from her lips.

The brunette shushed Emma till they were in silence once more. Finding herself perched on the very edge of the desk with Emma leaning heavily into her. It felt warm. And cosy. And nice, and everything she would imagine home to feel like. And she suddenly remembered feeling like this when they first met. And the familiarity, and the comfort that came with it, it all felt so welcoming. Like she was finally complete. Like this is exactly what she had been waiting for. And maybe Henry had not only been perfect in one, but two ways. Because he’d managed to bring back the very same woman Regina had been thinking about for the past 11 years.

“I couldn’t forget about you either,” she whispered into a mound of wild curls. Emma sighed at the comment, and Regina could feel the light tickling of eyelashes on her chest as they fluttered open. Adjusting her position a little as Emma slowly shifted to face the brunette, still with arms wrapped neatly around Regina’s waist. This was the first time Emma had been smaller than Regina, and the brunette could only smile down to the woman in her arms. 

Stormy eyes raked down to find painted lips, and it almost felt like slow motion when she leant forwards to press soft lips against the brunettes, pecking gently. Letting the feel of the kiss linger a second longer before she moved back, standing up now as her hands slid to reach around Regina’s sides. Regina didn’t say anything, but she stayed looking at the lips that had just left hers till they were both crashing together again in a desperate, hungry, kiss. One filled with so much loss and want. But it wasn’t a want in which either woman had expected to feel. It was a want for homeliness, for hope and love and a family. And that was the want they both needed to feel. That they both needed to fill.

They pulled apart after what felt like an eternity of being connected so intimately. Not wanting to pull from the hold they had on each other just yet.

Emma just stared in silence, before moving over to the desk and taking a pen from its perfectly placed jar. Regina looked over but couldn’t quite see what it was Emma had been writing down, even when the blonde came back up with a smile and a wink.

Taking in a breath as she felt cold hands skim over the front of her dress, until Emma’s fingers were directly in front of her lips, holding that thin piece of paper between them.

The brunette just stood confused, waiting a moment before slowly taking the offering from the still smirking blonde.

“My card, call me.”

*

*

Regina had fallen to sleep with a smile on her face. She hummed sickeningly sweet tunes to songs she didn’t even know she knew whilst she made Henry breakfast. Trying her best to ignore the scowls thrown in return because the boy still ate the pancakes and gave a thanks mumbled under his breath. He still loved her. He did. And Regina told herself that every second of every day, because maybe then she’d finally start to have hope again.

When she’d dropped her son at school and made her way to her office the smile didn’t drop. Her mood hadn’t faltered, and she knew now more than ever that things were slowly going to get better. She hadn’t messaged Emma with the now complete number she’d received late last night, fighting against everything in her to call as soon as she’d left in hopes the blonde would run back with open arms. She didn’t want to ruin this again, whatever _this _was. And well, she didn’t want to bombard Emma with everything. Because this was still a lot. This wasn’t only about the two of them now, this was about the little boy that brought them back together. And all three of them had a hell of a lot to process-

“Yes of course she’s expecting me,” Regina looked up from the mound of paperwork she’d quickly thrown herself into, peering over the edges of her glasses to see the door to her office being opened abruptly. Finding herself trying to hold back the biggest smile of her morning when she saw Emma jumping in through the opened gap, back turned to her as she continued to evidence her fake meeting with Regina.

“You really have to make an appointment-” the brunettes assistant gave a burning scowl towards Emma as she barged passed the blonde, looking apologetically to the mayor. Regina looked between the two with a bemused smile, trying hard to contain the laughter she felt brewing at the sight of the blonde idiot mocking the smaller assistant with childish faces and hand gestures. “I’m sorry madam mayor, she just ran through, I couldn’t stop her.”

Regina laid her pen to rest, arms crossing on her desk as she contained herself for speech. Smiling faintly to the younger brunette. “It’s okay, she scheduled this with me personally,” she motioned, putting her assistant at ease. Watching as the smaller brunette gave another evil eyed glare to the blonde as she backed away from the office, closing the door behind her. Regina smiled when they were finally alone, although she held back the immense beam she felt burning her cheeks. She didn’t want Emma to know how happy her surprise visit had made her.

“So,” Emma finally spoke. Hands clasped behind her back as she rocked slightly on the balls of her feet. “Madam Mayor, huh?” she teased with a smirk. Regina laughed a little at the comment, resting back in her chair. “That’s kinda hot,” Emma finished, taking confident strides towards the desk Regina was barricaded by.

Regina couldn’t help but let a warm blush soak her cheeks, shaking her hair enough to cover the crimsoning shade. But of course, Emma had already seen.

“How many times do I have to ask for a call back before you finally do it?” the blonde laughed, plopping herself into the seat opposite Regina. Her left leg crossing over her right knee as she relaxed back with a lazy smile. Regina shook her head, reaching forwards to gather the already tidy papers. She definitely wasn’t distracting herself from the dimples that formed in Emma’s smile, no, definitely not. Her desk was untidy, and those dimples weren’t doing anything to her insides, or to her mind, or to the already growing fondness she had for the woman in front of her.

“In my defence, I have only ever received your number in full once,” Regina joked back, lining up two pieces of paper till they were an even inch away from the edge of her desk. “And that was only, technically, a few hours ago,” she completed, smiling still. She froze when Emma laid a pale hand on top of hers, finally bringing her eyes to meet the warm stare from stormy, sea green eyes.

“A few hours too many.”

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat. Clearing it before attempting to speak again.

“You’re awfully impatient, Miss Swan,” Emma scoffed at the remark.

“Well excuse me but I wouldn’t call waiting 11 years for a woman I wasn’t even sure I would ever see again, impatient,” she started, standing from her sitting position. Walking gentle steps towards Regina. “Quite the opposite in fact.”

Regina lost her breath with the nearing movements, sitting back in her chair as she waited in anticipation.

“I wanted to give you time,” the brunette whispered, rolling back in the leather beneath her. Eyeing the taller woman. “T-to process everything.”

“Yeah, I mean. It’s a lot,” Emma took a moment to think about it again, “But you’d be amazed at how good I am with _processing_ stuff,” Emma smirked sultrily. Regaining her confidence again. “You’d also be amazed at how good I am at… other… stuff,” Emma struggled to come up with something clever and Regina could only laugh.

“Always so eloquent,” Emma shrugged off the dig, finally close enough that she could take hold of the leather chair Regina had become stuck too, digging her nails in and pushing it back so she was almost completely on top of the other woman. Regina stopped laughing then, losing everything within her as she focused solely on the blonde above her.

“The point is, I missed you,” she looked a little smaller then, when she admitted something that she thought was too forward. Like she was already revealing too much, but she melted when Regina took initiative. The brunette, having seen the inward battle Emma was fighting, took a leap and kissed hungrily into the younger woman. Hands cupping a sharp jaw, tangling with messy curls and fingers stroking up and down soft cheeks. Emma moaned into the kiss, regaining her confidence as she pulled Regina’s hands from her, stapling them down to the arms of the chair beneath them. The harsh movement caused Regina to hiss into the kiss, spurring Emma on all the more. She leaned in a little further, pressing the flat of her tongue down the valley of the tanned neck beneath it. Regina relished in the heat emanating from both Emma and the tongue on her throat. Biting down hard on her lip to refrain from spilling a powerful moan.

The blonde chuckled in her movement, sending heated vibrations through Regina’s body. And all she could do was shiver in anticipation.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed this,” Emma whispered her way back to Regina’s jaw, taking gentle kisses as the hold on tanned wrists got tighter. “How many times I’ve imagined having you like this,” Regina let out a quiet whimper through a lost breath, writhing under the feel of teeth scraping along her skin. “How many different positions I dreamt having you in last night,” Emma sucked on Regina’s pulse point, biting down and licking all in one motion.

The blonde was like a magnet, and _fuck_ Regina couldn’t be anymore attracted to her. She finally felt conscious of how tightly she’d been gripping the edge of her chair when she opened her lips to speak.

“And what about now?”

Emma paused, and Regina could hear the blonde adjusting her position slightly, so she wasn’t so heavily knelt into her. “Well, we have a perfectly good desk right here,” she kissed over Regina’s exposed collar bone, unbuttoning the top button of her shirt with her teeth. Finally taking advantage of the skin above Regina’s breasts. “I would just _hate_ to pass up an opportunity like this,” Emma laughed as she simultaneously brought Regina up to a standing position. Twisting the two around as they brought their lips together in another heated kiss.

The brunette felt strong arms slip over her curves till she was being lifted from her feet completely. She let out a squeal when she was dropped gently on top of her neatly stacked papers. Not giving a damn about the messiness anymore. Something she knew she would regret later, but right now, she was putty in Emma’s pale hands.

Emma left feverish kisses down her jaw, her cleavage. Pulling down the black, lacy bra Regina was wearing, with her teeth. Eyeing the older woman before taking a chance and swiping the already hard nipple with the tip of her tongue. Regina hissed in response, back arching as she tried to push something more to happen. Emma laughed, taking hold of the back of the brunette’s neck before racing in to bite down, hard, on the nipple. Lathering it with her tongue and soothing it with a kiss. Taking her time and allowing herself to give the other side the same loving attention. She kissed along the skin above the top of her skirt where the blonde had impatiently untucked the shirt from the tight-fitting material she’d chosen to wear that day.

All until Emma was on her knees in front of her.

And God, there was nothing she thought to be more arousing than having the blonde knelt beneath her like this, eyes filled with so much promise, and lust, and passion, and everything Regina felt coursing through her veins.

She couldn’t keep her eyes open for much longer when the blonde finally started moving again. Feeling strong, cold hands scratching sparks up her bare thighs, pushing the black pencil skirt along with it. Emma grinning like she’d found her new favourite hobby when Regina let out another moan. They were dangerously close to being heard, but neither of the two seemed to care… at all.

The blonde started at her right knee, peppering feather light kisses up her thigh, stopping right before Regina’s centre. Moving along to the other knee instead and repeating the motion. Fingernails digging deep into the woman who was left squirming in her grasp. Frantic puffs of air crashing through the silence in the room. Emma laughed again, teasing Regina was something she’d treasure forever if she could.

Emma could tell Regina had had enough when the brunette took a handful of blonde hair as she tried her best to guide the blonde where she needed her most. She looked to the tanned woman above her. Regina looked like a Goddess. The most goddamn beautiful Goddess she had ever laid eyes upon, with a halo of light emitting over her frame and casting golden rays through her dark hair. Slowly, she tickled her fingers over Regina’s hips. Letting the brunette adjust her position enough to help Emma push her skirt up to gain access to what lay beneath.

The younger woman took her time in pulling down the lace panties Regina was wearing, marvelling in the sudden breathlessness of the brunette. Raising her eyebrows in appreciation and finally realising just how long Regina had been waiting for this too.

When Regina was finally rid of her bottoms, Emma started kissing up her thigh again, taking her fingers from above Regina’s waist and going to pay attention to the throbbing pain between the brunettes thighs. She was gentle, skimming over the slick entrance, and Regina hissed in a blissful agony. The waiting was painful, but she hadn’t wanted this to be any other way. She wanted to take her time this round.

Emma was impressed with the response Regina seemed to be having to her touches. Because, _Jesus, _this woman was completely drenched. Emma couldn’t tell what was sexier, that or the fact that Regina seemed to want Emma to _know _that this was what the blonde was doing to her. That this was all for _her_, and her _alone_.

The blonde got a little more attentive when Regina let out a wanton moan, rubbing down on the hardening bundle of nerves and sucking down on the apex of Regina’s tanned thigh. Leaving bruising marks that she was sure to be proud of by the end of this.

She gave one final look to Regina who was practically begging with her eyes for Emma’s touch. And the blonde simply had to give in, running her tongue eagerly over the hot entrance. Swirling in a motion that made Regina jolt with the finality of it all. Guiding careful strokes in and out whilst pressing down harder on the brunette’s clit. Being aggressively thrown into it all with a hand in her hair and a push on her head. But she hadn’t cared, not one bit. This was exactly what she had been waiting for and, _God, _this was so much better than she had ever imagined it all to be.

With the quiet mewls of the brunette above her, and the fingernails scraping at her scalp, and the way Regina looked at the brisk of orgasm was so much more than she could have ever asked for.

The older woman finally slumped over, jolting every so often with the aftershocks of her orgasm. Letting out a breathy laugh as Emma laid one final kiss on her thigh before rising to meet her with a gentle kiss to the lips. Her arms throwing themselves around her lovers’ neck.

The two stood in an embrace for a while longer, both coming down from a high and regaining their energy to speak.

“I think we did this all a tiny bit backwards,” Emma laughed into Regina’s shoulder, tightening her hug in preparation for Regina’s reply.

“I agree, darling.”

Emma softened at the term of endearment, placing a soft peck underneath Regina’s ear.

“But,” she started, slowly pulling herself away from the embrace… only slightly. She didn’t want to fully pull back, not yet at least. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to try this… try us,” she whispered, her chin falling into her chest. Feeling embarrassed with the admittance.

Regina’s brows furrowed, taking Emma’s chin in between her fingers to get the blonde to look her back in the eyes. “I want that too,” she spoke calmly, nurturing Emma back into a good place. “There is nothing I would love more than for us to… to be something more.”

Emma smiled a goofy smile, going in for another quick kiss. God knows she would never get tired of those.

“We don’t have to rush anything. It’s not as simple as it was before-”

“Before Henry,” Emma nodded, “I know,” she smiled lightly. “But, if you’re willing to have me… both of you, then I’m right here.” Regina felt like she was about to cry. Because how on earth could any of this have been real. Honestly, _how_-

“But I mean, I would get it if… if you or if… Henry decided that he didn’t want me back after what I did, then I would completely understand because, I mean… it sucks. And I regret it every day and I just want him to know that-”

Regina shushed her with the tip of her finger, smiling endearingly towards the blabbering blonde.

“Henry traveled all the way to Boston in search for you. I think that’s a hint that he might want you in his life,” the brunette teased a little. Worrying on her bottom lip before she continued. “But we might have to ease him into the idea of us being together… romantically,” she looked a little more nervous at the insight. And Emma caught on quickly as to why.

“He loves you Regina, he really does. And he’s so goddamn _lucky_ to have you,” she reassured her quickly, hugging the brunette tight till their foreheads were touching slightly. “But I agree. It’s something we’ll have to talk about.”

Regina nodded slightly, pulling back now with something else in her smile. Her fingers dancing across the leather on Emma’s back.

“You’re right, but I think as of this moment I have a favour to return.”

End.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Bathroom Bangin' [fanart]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20499779) by [Jajs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jajs/pseuds/Jajs)


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